Shadows Fall

The Shadows are watching...

Upon returning to the road, Krog in his infinite wisdom, is completely unaware of who this other Orc was and why he was so upset. After a BRIEF interrogation, Krog beheads the bound creature, to the disliking of Sammel. With a headless Orc, it appears you have little chance of knowing who this crazed Orc was. Luckily you’re Bard remembers that these were members of the Grumak Clan, of which Krog had murdered most. On his person, he had a particularly powerful Axe with a blood red heart crystal crafted in the center and a mysterious aura surrounding it.

While this murder was happening outside and party members are burying bodies, you’re faithful assassin and wily half demon search the wagons. They discover one has crates full of what appear to be miscellaneous mundane weaponry. Nothing special. In the other however, there are three chests. A few trap searches/disable device checks later and they are open. There is a trove of enchanted items here. They spend some time deciphering the enchantments and separating the items for each party member.

You then proceed to the Orc camp to loot the treasures there. You find several crates of more mundane weapons and rotting food. You also find more chests, each filled with coin. Suddenly, the cats ears perk to a sound deeper within the woods. After stealthily scouting, he discovers a whimpering coming from what appears to be underground. He then brings it to the attention of the party and after a prolonged search, an underground structures is discovered. The content, cages with small slaves, most dead.

Upon closer inspection, its noticed each are wearing a ring, which turn out to be Dungeon Prisoner Rings. You bring the one living prisoner back to consciousness and question him, with little information to be gained. The only determination is that it appears the city might have ties with an underground slave ring. Your party then convinces the Bard to put one of the rings on. he then realizes it will not come off.

The party then splits; half taking the slave to a hotel and the other returning to the Shadow’s Safe House and divvy up the loot. You also speak with JeZara about the details you found.

The ambush has been set. You awaited the caravan and pushed your plans into action. After waiting for the scout to pass, the Orc topples the tree, trapping the wagons. This causing quite a stir, distracting your Krog and causing him to charge the guards. With his charge, 5 other Orcs also appear from the woods charging as well. One Orc pauses with a perplexed look on his face. After a moment of contemplating, he exclaims “KROOOOOOOG!” and charges your Beserker.

At this point swords are drawn, arrows are flying, and people are falling asleep. With all the commotion, half the party decides to partake and the other remain in hiding. The fight is going moderately according to plan, in the sense that the Orcs are in combat with the guards. Only you were not expecting to be a part of it so quickly. Along with this, it takes only a few quick axe swings from the leader of the Orc band and Krog falls to the ground.

After spending some time finishing off the rest of your opponents and you brought your tank back to consciousness. You then decided to check the Orc camp. You send the cat to scout ahead. From high in a tree, he notices some rather demonic looking wolves lurking about. They then approach the trunk of his tree and begin sniffing the air, seemly communicating g with each other with various growls and clicks. Trapped, he fires an arrow at one of the fowl creatures.

Hearing the yelp of a wounded dog, the rest of the party is alerted to the situation and quickly head for the camp. When they arrive, there is nothing to be found. The Worgs quickly launched an ambush, but to no avail. They were quickly dispatched, ending the encounter.

After being given the information that who you were tracking may not be the bad people they’re portrayed as, you decided to ask questions. With these questions, you’re able to determine that Meriad Sander may not be direct decedent of the found of this city. You’re also informed her rise to power may not have been through the most angelic means.

Finding this to be a hard pill to swallow, you retreat back to your hotel to sleep and think on the situation. In the night, Sam is awoken by Joseph with a message. There is a caravan that will be heading to Sander’s Reach from the coast. You’re tasked to intercept this caravan.

Not being as stupid as you may seem, Piper asks around about any competition there may be on the road. You find out there is a choke point through the woods were caravans are most often hit by bandits. You’re also informed of some regular bandits that hold the area, but have no ties to The Shadows. After the investigation, you borrow a few horses from the [[Sander’s Breach Guard]] and head out for your destination.

Arriving with ample amounts of time, you scout the near by woods. Upon scouting, you discover a small band of 5 Orcs that appear to be behind the caravan robberies. A plan is devised to trap the caravan near they Orc encampment, hoping that the noise will draw the Orcs out to do your fighting for you.

You found yourselves following your final lead, which lead you to the temple of Cayden Cailean. Piper, Turgrim, and Rogba lead the way. The rest of the party remained outside to keep watch and await information. Rogba disguised himself as a drunken gnome, questioning the temple priest about his beliefs and entertaining him with his sweet banjo skillz. In the meantime Piper found his way to the back room, where he obtained the temple ledger and a lockbox. He also found a false back with a stash of the eye emblems.

After Rogba and Piper leave the temple, Turgrim witnesses a gnomish temple patron enter the back room then exit the building. Upon pursuit, he looses the trail.

After regrouping at The Jagged Glass, Piper shares what he’s found. While discussing a game plan, the three that entered the temple notice the Gnome enter through the back. To attempt to force pursuit, the leave the pub, but the Gnome does not follow. He instead speaks with the barkeep, then exits the back. The remainder of the group follow him out the back. After following for a moment, everyone is able to catch up and detain the Gnome.

Piper remembers a location where certain interrogation techniques are a little more acceptable. You take the Gnome there and place him on a stretching rack. Galbrad volunteers to man the crank and turns it the wrong direction a few times. This nearly causes a group conflict, but none the less, you are able to extract valuable intel. The Gnome is willing to take you to the Shadows.

He leads you back to the temple and takes you through an entrance hidden in the giant flagon statues, behind the alter. After being lowered by the “Ale-vator,” you are greeted by Joseph Grendal, the council courier. He then takes you through the facility, where you speak with another familiar face from the council. JeZara Suran, council representative for Spellwell, then informs you of the twisted intentions of the council and his fight for the downtrodden of the city. You now have to decide who you’re willing to fight for.

After your Bard per-maturely knocked out your Rat, you decided to drag him to your rooms until he woke up. After 36 hours of sleep, he finely arose, not knowing you or where he was. After some talking from Piper, Dave sealed his lips, claiming he was missing a sum of money from his person.

Once his lips were sealed, Krahog decided to implement some advanced interrogation methods. Intimidation doesn’t seem to be having the affects that were originally planned, so slamming him into a wall seemed to be the direction to take. Upon taking this hit, Krahog felt a sharp pain in his side. After looking into this pain, a sleeve blade is discovered concealed by Dave. Once more damage was taken, nearly dropping your berserker, a second sleeve blade is discovered. In an attempt to keep this from going any further, both his arms are broken. Krahog then throws him across the room and Sammel casts Hold Person, while others bind his hands and feet. Piper runs downstairs to inform the in keeper the noise was nothing to be concerned with. Upon return to the room, Dave is convulsing and foaming at the mouth. Attempts to cure him of his ailment are found to be in vein and he perishes. No info is gathered. At this point, you then discover that discover that Rogba is the root of the missing coin. You also find a silver and onyx eye emblem on Dave’s corpse.

Upon losing your one solid lead, you grasp at the few straws you have left. You ask around the Landing about Dave and the people he normally dealt with. After a futile search for information, Kaillum and Piper are approaching by a mysterious cloaked figure. He offers a warning… “We know who you are, who know what you’re doing, we know who you’re asking about. You’d do well to stop.” He then disappears, but Piper is able to follow a trail, which lands in Marblegate. Kaillum also notices an emblem matching the one found on Dave’s corpse.

When you regroup and learn of the warning, there’s an epiphany about the emblem. The eye is recognized as a symbol Cayden Cailean and there is a temple devoted to him located in the Landing. This appears to be the next best lead available.

In session four, you guys had to come to the difficult terms of a party member killing in cold blood. He disclosed to you the true nature of his ancestry and his tendencies towards innately evil actions. After some deliberation, Galbrad decided that he would obtain some magically enhanced tattoos to hopefully bolster his ability to resist the urges. We’ve yet to see whether or not this method has been any benefit.

The group also decided to continue following their leads as to the motives behind the break-ins. Piper shared a connection with a fence at his regular pub, The Jagged Glass. The most info he was able to disclose was that a large chunk of gold was handled through Dave the Rat, a fence with more seedy ties in Thieves’ Landing. Thinking this chunk of gold may be the remnants of a statue taken during the recent burgles.

When connecting with Dave the Rat, you were given an offer. Find a way to allow the coffee addict sleep and he’d give up some info. Unfortunately, you Bard gave him his slumber before you could pull the info.

You begin just after receiving your orders from the Towneship Council: investigate the thieves. You were given a short list of names, consisting of various forms of robberies and burgles. Only one name was disclosed for Sandertowne. It’s believed the Nobles are too proud to reveal a momentary weakness.

The first two people you interrogate is Verwyn Gilnal, a well known elven aristocrat, and Thimble, his loyal house gnome. From this investigation, you’re able to determine that these “burglars” may be more talented than previously perceived. You were also able to gain a second name for a victim in Sandertowne: Ansrlon Iaimlia. Upon speaking with her, a botched bluff quickly soured the conversation, causing the door to be slammed in your face.

You also looked into a few of the caravan owners that were ransacked. At this point, no real pattern was noticed. Various goods, various time frames, various races, etc. You were able to discern that most, if not all of the caravans that were hit are no longer in the city.

Later that night, the party split. Piper and Rogba hung back in Sandertowne to setup a night patrol. This patrol turned out to be rather uneventful. Believing you may have had a loose liped lead, the rest followed Rogba’s new “friend” Thimble to Brown Sugar, down in Thieves’ Landing. A few drinks and a little question with the staff turns up that Thimble seems as loyal as he says.

Last but not least, while the latter group was enjoying the tavern, Galbrad decided to enjoy the company of a prostitute. After performing his dead, you all notice that he leaves the room alone. You quickly investigate to find out that he had strangled her. After speaking with the bartender, you fork over some coin in order to be rid of the situation.

After completing the initial test for selection by the Towneship Council, you were offered a room for the night, located in the tower. Upon awakening, you realize all of your possessions are missing. You each leave you rooms and enter the main hall. There is a breakfast feast prepared. Some of you indulge yourselves, others are suspicious.

With a closer look, you notice there are no doors or windows in this room, not even the door you entered from. Upon casting a detect magic; you find that literally everything surrounding you, including the food, is enchanted. After several futile attempts at deciphering the situation, you figure out it’s simply an illusion and walk out the door.

The tests continue for five days; testing various aspects of critical thinking. Upon completion of the final test, you enter the great hall, only to be greeted by the entire council. At this point, they disclose your task. You are to track down a mysterious band of thieves that have seemingly recently became overly organized. With very little information to go on, you begin your investigation.

In the first session, you all found yourselves bumbling around various areas of Sander’s Reach. While perusing the wears of the local shops or drinking away at the pubs, you all noticed town couriers posting official notices. Upon investigation of the decree, you learn it’s a requisition by the city guard for assistance to a public matter.

You followed the directions on the posting to Gaelmoor Tower. Once at Gaelmoor, you entered the massive courtyard to meet Elsef Yusgrov, Secretary to The Towneship Council. After registration and a brief wait, to test your combat expertise, you found your self in the midst of a battle royale. Seeing as most of the individuals that responded were commoners and peasants, you found yourselves on top, with a MOSTLY passive approach. Once combat had subsided, the only remaining were the six of you and one very stout Norseman wielding a whip.

After passing the “test,” you were invited to a feast and rest inside the lavish towers of Gaelmoor.

A blog for your campaign

While the wiki is great for organizing your campaign world, it’s not the best way to chronicle your adventures. For that purpose, you need a blog!

The Adventure Log will allow you to chronologically order the happenings of your campaign. It serves as the record of what has passed. After each gaming session, come to the Adventure Log and write up what happened. In time, it will grow into a great story!

Best of all, each Adventure Log post is also a wiki page! You can link back and forth with your wiki, characters, and so forth as you wish.

One final tip: Before you jump in and try to write up the entire history for your campaign, take a deep breath. Rather than spending days writing and getting exhausted, I would suggest writing a quick “Story So Far” with only a summary. Then, get back to gaming! Grow your Adventure Log over time, rather than all at once.